31 March 2015

LIVE (REPLAY) March 30, 2015 - From the Volvo Ocean Race Headquarters in Alicante, Genny Tulloch and CEO Knut Frostad catch up live with the entire fleet live, via satellite, as they near the Mt. Everest of sailing, Cape Horn. We hear from the top four as the round, as well as from Dongfeng Race Team on their recent dismasting, and from TeamSCA about their Cape Horn ETA. A ground-breaking first for live coverage in such a remote location!

Dongfeng Race Team breaks mast, crew safe | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015: "Update #7 15:40 UTC We just spoke with Damian Foxall live from the Southern Ocean. Here’s what Dongfeng’s sailor had to say about the team’s progress as they’re sailing towards Ushuaia. “All good. Everyone is still healthy. Few broken bits and pieces. “We’re sure we’ll be able to recover the rig with what we have. We have just got to cut the Frac 0 off the back. “We’re still rotating through watches – we still have quite a few hours before we get to the coast. We’re slowly working through it but every single step we have got to be careful. Everything you do has a chain reaction. So we’re just taking our time and we’re making sure that we don’t make things more complicated than they already are. Last night was complicated enough; really a lot of potential for making things worse. At least everyone is safe and healthy.”"

Volvo Ocean Race - Dongfeng Race Team was dismasted early on Monday (GMT, March 30). Fortunately nobody has been injured and there is no immediate danger to the crew. The incident happened 240 nautical miles west of Cape Horn at 0315 UTC on Monday, the crew reports that the mast broke above the third spreader (the top section of the mast).

March 30, 2015: We speak with skipper Charles Caudrelier after Dongfeng Race Team mast is broken in the Southern Ocean.

Talk about Cape Horn | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15
March 29, 2015: Cape Horn is one of those special places that every offshore sailor wants to go to. It’s as close as you can get to Antarctica. The stories of Cape Horners going around in storm and tempest is the stuff of legends, so for every yachtsman, it’s one of those things they want to tick off. Rounding Cape Horn is the talk of the day on the boats!

Iceberg detection | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 - March 29, 2015: Abu Dhabi Race Team talk us through the iceberg updates they receive on the boat and Phil Harmer's less technical approach to iceberg detection.

29 March 2015

Yacht Club Costa Smeralda: The best of the week at YCCS Virgin Gorda from 3 - 7 March for the 2nd edition of the Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean. 21 yachts in 2 classes. Overall winners Selene and Music.

Batten down the hatches | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 - March 28, 2015: Constant gybing means the teams are near to exhaustion, and the toughest part of this leg is still to come. A rough night and an even rougher day lies ahead, 50 knot squalls and heinous seas in the race to be first to Cape Horn.

Crazy crossing | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 - March 28, 2015: Duking it out along the ice limit some 1,200nm from nearest land, there's a match racing duel going on in the Southern Ocean. Has offshore racing ever been so tight for so long?

28 March 2015

The calm before | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 - March 27, 2015: The fleet is still tightly packed together, and enjoying a little respite from the weather - but the Southern Ocean racing is as fierce as ever!

Significant cost saving measures planned for 2017 America’s Cup - 35th America's Cup: "... “After reviewing prototypes of the new AC45 sports boats being tested on the water over the past several months, it is clear that if we raced smaller boats in 2017, we could dramatically reduce costs without sacrificing any of the spectacle or the design, engineering and athletic challenge fundamental to the America’s Cup,” said Commercial Commissioner Harvey Schiller. “We have a responsibility to think of what is best for the long term health of the America’s Cup as well as improving the value equation for team principals and partners... The rule changes are being drafted and teams will be asked to vote on these changes before the end of March."

27 March 2015

Reaching the ice limit | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 - March 26, 2015: It’s a gybing duel in the middle of the Southern Ocean. As the fleet reaches Point Nemo, the most remote place in the whole world, the race is very tight.

United States Sailing Association | Sailing Leadership Forum 2016 – Save the Date!:The Sailing Leadership Forum is back! Join us for Sailing Leadership Forum 2016, a US Sailing signature event, at the Hilton San Diego Resort, February 4-6, 2016. .."Front Street Unveils New Line of Sailing: "The US builders Front Street Shipyard’s in-house design team is collaborating with yacht designer Bill Tripp to develop a new line of modern sloops that are now available for construction. The shipyard said the line includes 84-foot, 102-foot and 112-foot yachts that are performance-oriented with a range of interior options...."more sailing news below (@ web version link below for mobile)

26 March 2015

Ocean sailors, ocean research | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 -
March 23, 2015: The Volvo Ocean Race fleet is assisting the NOAA with an important environmental project to help collect oceanic data from one of the most remote areas of the world – the Southern Ocean.

Inside Track: Leg 5 #6 Reaching Nemo | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 - March 25, 2015: Snow, ice and hail. The Southern Ocean is living up to its name. Today the fleet passed the most remote ocean point on earth - so here’s a quick refresher on how we’re actually able to communicate with the teams in these extreme locations.

Inside Track: Leg 5 #5 Southern Ocean death rolls | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 - March 24, 2015: The Southern Ocean is rearing its mighty head, and more than half the fleet have felt its force. Death rolls for three and a wipeout for the fourth, but most importantly, all okay onboard.

25 March 2015

March 24, 2015: Chinese gybe, a/k/a death roll, a/k/a crash gybe. Basically, it’s a strong squall violently swinging the boom to the other side. The main sail slams over, the boat ends up in the water with the keel on the wrong side keeping it on its side. It’s dangerous, it’s scary – and it happened to the MAPFRE crew in the Southern Ocean, 2,000 nautical miles away from land! (videos above and below)

Chinese gybe for Chinese boat | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 - March 24, 2015Dongfeng Race Team, MAPFRE and Team SCA all did accidental gybes (aka Chinese gybes) from Monday to Tuesday – but Dongfeng’s one happened first, in the pitch-black night, and with two young Chinese rookies onboard.

A preventive measure | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 -
March 23, 2015: A delaminated bow is a memory MAPFRE’s skipper Iker Martínez is not fond of and he did not want the same scenario to happen again after experiencing it in last race’s Leg 5. After hearing worrying noises, Iker and Antonio Cuervas-Mons decided to reinforce it.Barcelona World Race update and finish:

24 March 2015

The wake of Pam | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 - Published on March 23, 2015: Just two days after leaving Auckland, the teams have reached the Southern Ocean. Surfing the wake of ex-Cyclone Pam, they’ve been doing 20 knots of average speed, trying to get south before the next high-pressure system catches them. It’s fast, it’s wet, it’s wild. Here’s what it looks like from the sky.

Inside Track: Leg 5 #4 | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 - March 23, 2015: Where's the southern ocean? The sailors are definitely into it now, and it has caused some issues for SCA and Abu Dhabi. Brunel lead the way..

23 March 2015

Published on March 21, 2015: Racing on board the 125ft Perini Navi superyacht P2 at St Barths Bucket 2015

Published on March 22, 2015: Racing aboard the 169ft Dykstra designed schooner Meteor at the St Barths Bucket Superyacht Regatta 2015

ST BARTH BUCKET 2015 RAINBOW

2015 St Barths Bucket Regatta: Bucket Blog: "Owners and their guests got the red carpet treatment last night at a special "Eden Rock" gathering. Yes, an actual red carpet led directly to the beach where all that was glittering included the sand and palm trees, illuminated in a rainbow of colors. One owner declared the event, set on a rocky point overlooking St. Jean Bay, perfect in flow and excellent in ambience, as it was easy to find friends and communicate while enjoying a phenomenal sushi bar, stone-oven pizza, sliders, and of course fine champagne and Prosecco. "The hosts went to the top; it was five-star elegant but understated," he said. Representatives from each of the four Bucket stewards – Perini Navi, Royal Huisman, Vitters Shipyard and Rybovich – greeted guests as they entered, and Russell Coutts made an intriguing presentation on why everyone attending should make it to Bermuda for the next America's Cup....."

Volvo Ocean Race - Leg 5 - Published on March 22, 2015: Things are going well for Team Brunel. The Dutchies are enjoying a 36nm lead, and they’re in great spirits. But the last 48 hours weren’t as confortable for their Onboard Reporter Stefan Coppers, who got so seasick he couldn’t send footage through as his team made its way to the top. Here’s a throwback at this “lost” content he finally sent.

22 March 2015

Looking forward to it | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 - March 21, 2015: They left Auckland in hope of high seas, big waves and wild rides. Race veterans told the rookies about fast and furious downwind sailing – and now that they’re caught up in a high-pressure system, they’re wondering where is this famous Southern Ocean they’ve heard about. Well, it’s coming. And they’re looking forward to it.

Sailing: Iceberg 'road block' forces Ocean Race route change | Reuters: "After finally setting off for the 6,776-nautical mile stage on Wednesday, a huge iceberg was spotted within 48 hours via satellite pictures. Organizers have imposed ice limits that will force the boats to sail clear of the iceberg's path. Crews will be penalized if they sail over these boundaries towards hazardous areas. Organizers have brought forward the likely arrival time in Itajai from April 7 to 4 after the boats made surprisingly rapid progress through the first 1,000 nautical miles of the stage."

What to see when Volvo Ocean Race comes to Newport - Magazine - The Boston Globe: "....Formally known as the Whitbread Round the World Race, this premier sailing event is held every three years and last visited the region during the 2008-09 edition in Boston. When the competitors complete the final leg at the finish line in Gothenburg, Sweden, they’ll have covered 38,739 nautical miles, the equivalent of 44,580 statute miles. Newport is the race’s sole US stopover, one of 11 international ports that the nine-month, nine-leg seafaring marathon will visit...." Day 81 - Daily highlights – Barcelona World Race - #BWR2015 - March 21, 2015more sailing news below (@ web version link below for mobile)

21 March 2015

Inside Track: Leg 5 #3 Special Guest Emma Sanderson | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 - One final look at the conditions from air, a great explanation of what they're all dropping in the water, then a chat with solo sailor and Volvo vet Emma Sanderson.

The virtues of preparation | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015: "Think the last two days have been rough? That’s bad news, because the worst is yet to come. With ex-Cyclone Pam cycling off to the west, the wind has dropped and the sea state has improved. After a violent opening, the leg going from New Zealand to Brazil is now slightly easier on the minds – and the bodies."

Inside Track: Leg 5 # 2 | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 - The sailors battle the remnants of Cyclone Pam as they leave the safety of land behind. We catch a quick glimpse from the heli, and more from onboard! #VOR

‘Arrest’ of Oracle’s America’s Cup Racing Yacht Called Off - Bloomberg Business: "... U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph Spero concluded that because Spooner was hired to sail for Oracle Team USA without explicit reference to a specific vessel he had no right to a lien through the use of a so-called Admiralty arrest of the catamaran....The case is Spooner v. Multi Hull Foiling AC45 Vessel “4 Oracle Team USA,” 15-cv-00692, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Francisco.)"more sailing news below (@ web version link below for mobile)

20 March 2015

Be careful what you wish for | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015: "...“I’d be lying if I said our enthusiasm for getting out here is unchanged,” politely confessed Amory Ross in his daily blog from Team Alvimedica. Translation: the sea state has been a mess and in up to 30 knots of wind, most of his mates are getting seasick. “Now that we’re actually here everyone’s either green or exhausted, and often both. We talk a lot about racing these boats, the demands and the skills it requires, but when the conditions are like they are now simply living takes considerable effort, too.”..."

19 March 2015

Inside Track: Leg 5 # 1 | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 - Published on March 18, 2015: Not yet Cyclone Pam conditions, as the fleet heads out of Auckland in light but building breeze. We hear from Dongfeng Race Team, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, and Team Alvimedica with a call to kiwi Dave Swete.

Leg 5 start highlights | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 - Published on March 18, 2015: It’s a 6,776nm leg, but from the very first second the teams’ focus is all on the lead. Here's a look at their morning parade as they left Auckland yesterday.

18 March 2015

Live recording: Leg 5 start - Auckland to Itajai | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15
Streamed live on March 18, 2015 (New Zealand Time)
All the live action from the start of Leg 5, from Auckland, New Zealand to Itajai, Brazil.

Volvo Ocean Race Leg 5 - The boats are finally heading to the Southern Ocean, following an iconic, infamous route around Cape Horn and all the way to Brazil. There will be high waves, freezing water and strong winds - so the wet weather gear of first-timer Luke Parkinson better be properly prepared! Day 77 - Daily highlights – Barcelona World Race (March 17, 2015) #BWR2015more sailing news below (@ web version link below for mobile)

17 March 2015

Leg 5 start is on | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015: "Following fresh information on the development of Cyclone Pam, today Race organisers announced that Leg 5 from Auckland, New Zealand to Itajaí, Brazil will now start on Wednesday, March 18 at 09:00 NZDT (Tuesday March 17, 20:00 UTC)."

Drive it like you stole it | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 -
When you're thundering through the ocean at 25kts, it's important to have trust in your boat - and that's where Southern Spars come in

Life at the Extreme - Ep. 22 - 'Losing ground' | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15: a look back at Leg 4--In this episode, the fleet is getting closer together again. Unfortunately, Team Brunel and Team SCA’s gamble didn’t pay off. Frustration is high among the teams as the technical problems are getting more and more recurrent. And with illness and exhaustion taking over most crews, the sailors are slowly fighting their way to cross the finish line.

John Laun's caper wins NOOD Regatta | UTSanDiego.com: "... Laun celebrating with his crew of nine other sailors after his boat, caper, was declared the overall winner of the Helly Hansen NOOD Regatta. Now Commodore of the storied SDYC, Laun proved to be a rude host by capturing the grand prize -- automatic entry in the Helly Hansen NOOD regatta championship at the British Virgin Islands.... "

A Yacht That Doesn't Get in the Way of Your Ocean Views | WIRED: "... Behold then, a rendering of the boat of your dreams. The 55-meter vessel, christened Salt, isn’t real (yet), but there’s no doubt a band of obscenely wealthy people clamoring to change that. Salt is the work of Lujac Desautel, an architecture student at San Francisco’s California College of the Arts. He designed the ship as an entry to a young boat designers competition, which asked participants to take an existing hull of a sailboat and go crazy...."more sailing news below (@ web version link below for mobile)

16 March 2015

Batten down the hatches | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 - March 15, 2015: With Cyclone Pam rolling into New Zealand, the Volvo Ocean Race fleet are staying onshore for an extra couple of days.

Volvo Ocean Race, Leg 5, Auckland, New Zealand to Itajai, Brazil:
UPDATED SUNDAY MARCH 15 from the Volvo Ocean Race: "Due to the possibility of a developing supercyclone, there have been some changes to this weekend's schedule... Our weather team currently predicts a possibility for severe weather with strong and gusty winds and heavy rainfall from Sunday afternoon to Monday midday. The planned Leg 5 departure for Sunday March 15 has been delayed to Tuesday March 17 at the earliest. There will be no sailing on Sunday and the Race Village will be closed.
MONDAY: Current forecasts suggest that Monday could be the worst affected day weather-wise. As a result, there are no plans for any events at this stage. The Race Village will be closed.
TUESDAY: The decision has been made that the boats will not leave Auckland until Tuesday March 17 at the earliest. The ambition is to leave somewhere between Tuesday midday and Wednesday afternoon. We will inform of an exact and updated time in due course. “This weather is very rare for the race, and for New Zealand," said Race CEO Knut Frostad on Friday. As we are dealing with a severe and extreme weather scenario the race organiser reserves the right to change the timing of any sailing, racing or event at any time if that should be required." (source: volvooceanrace.com)

15 March 2015

Extreme Sailing Series™ Act 2, Muscat - Video Highlights -- March 14, 2015: Extreme Sailing Series The second stop on the 2015 Extreme Sailing Series™ eight Act global tour brought together eight top international teams on the shores of Oman. After four days of epic racing, the pressure going into the final double points race was evident with four teams in the running for the podium. Pre-event favourites The Wave, Muscat sailed the race of the Act to take the win on their home waters for the third consecutive year in front of their home fans, narrowly denying the Danish SAP Extreme Sailing Team their first ever Act victory, while Red Bull Sailing Team took an impressive third place, despite an earlier collision with Oman Air which knocked them out of the final six races. Watch the highlights above. View Results Scoreboard here.

The New Zealand Herald In-Port Race Auckland highlights | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15, March 14, 2015 - With the dock decked out in thousands of Kiwi fans, the six boats put on an awesome show in The New Zealand Herald In-Port Race Auckland. (full replay below)

Extreme Sailing Series™ Act 2, Muscat - Day Three Analysis, March 13, 2015 - The scene is set for Saturday's final showdown in Muscat - and with just 16 points separating the top four (less than the difference of the final double points race) it's game on. Land Rover Global Brand Ambassador Hannah White and Pete Cumming give the low down on the penultimate days racing and make their predictions.

Stevie Morrison: I want a team that is the future rather than the last generation - Land Rover Global Brand Ambassador Hannah White caught up with Oman Air’s Stevie Morrison dockside about the future of Extreme Sailing, getting fired up, beating Leigh McMillan and ultimately hitting the podium. #EXSS

Extreme Sailing Series™ Muscat - Day two, March 12th - The Danes take control
Land Rover Global Brand Ambassador Hannah White and co-commentator Pete Cumming give their lowdown on day two at the Extreme Sailing Series™ in Muscat, that saw SAP Extreme Sailing Team showcase a winning formula in the shifty 15 knot north-easterly breeze and lumpy two-metre swell, that put a premium on boat handling.

Cornelis van Rietschoten, The Whitbread 1977-78 | Volvo Ocean Race Legends -
A new professionalism came into the sport in 1977-78 with a Dutch campaign which left nothing to chance.more sailing news below (@ web version link below for mobile)

Join hunt for missing yacht online | News24: "... The aim of the campaign is to search for the Leopard 44 catamaran that was being delivered to Phuket, Thailand, by Anthony Murray, Reg Robertson and Jaryd Payne. On the Tomnod website, people are asked to tag objects as either ship or boat, life raft or "other" in images. Tomnod is run by commercial satellite company DigitalGlobe... "

05 March 2015

Leg 4, day 20. At 01:30:30 hours in Auckland, Team Brunel crossed the finish line in 5th position. About 3 hours later, Team SCA was the last boat to arrive in Auckland, at 04:32:35 hours, finishing in 6th position. Here are the best moments.

Skipper debrief | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 -

The morning after an amazing night of arrivals, the Volvo Ocean Race skippers take to the stage to give their first reactions.

Barcelona World Race, Day 63, March 3 - Daily video highlights abovehttp://www.barcelonaworldrace.org/en/ #BWR2015Dean Barker signs on with Russian magnate's sailing team | Stuff.co.nz: "Dumped Team New Zealand skipper Dean Barker has landed a sailing job calling tactics for a Russian computer magnate in a major international regatta in Malta this month. The 2015 RC44 Championship Tour starts in Valletta on March 25, the first regatta of a five-event calendar that moves to Italy, Sweden, Portugal and the British Virgin Islands...."

04 March 2015

BEVY OF SWANS BRACED FOR THE ROLEX SWAN CUP CARIBBEAN < News < ClubSwan < Nautor's Swan: "Competition at the second edition of the Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean gets underway in Virgin Gorda, the British Virgin Islands tomorrow, Wednesday 4 March. A fleet of 21 Swan yachts, comprising an array of different models from seven different countries and territories will contest an eagerly anticipated week of action in the Virgin Gorda archipelago. Four days of racing are scheduled for the two classes of Swan, Class A (18.29m and above) and Class B (18.28m and below), starting with tomorrow’s alluring Around the Islands Race. The competition was inaugurated two years ago to mark the expansion of the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda’s activities to the Caribbean. "

Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean Countdown < News < ClubSwan < Nautor's Swan: "On March 3, the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda will welcome the 2015 sailing season in Virgin Gorda with the Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean regatta; an illustrious event in partnership with Rolex and Nautor’s Swan. The celebrated trio of YCCS, Rolex and Nautor’s Swan has organized the biennial Rolex Swan Cup in Porto Cervo, Sardinia since the early 1980s. While the Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean is held in alternate years to the Mediterranean regatta and is exclusively for Swan yachts. This year marks the second edition of the biennial Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean which is held at the YCCS Virgin Gorda Clubhouse. Nestled in the sailing paradise of the British Virgin Islands, a fleet of 22 Swans will compete for the coveted Rolex Swan Cup Caribbean Trophy, as well as Rolex timepiecesIn the true ClubSwan spirit, competitors range from owners of classic Sparkman & Stephens Swans to the elegant, high performance Swan 90s including Leonardo Ferragamo’s Swan 90 Solleone (ITA) and Swan 90 Odin (USA). In addition to front row spectating at one of the Caribbean’s most prestigious sporting events, guests will enjoy evening socials throughout the week, cocktail contests, a Caribbean barbeque, a regatta party at Biras Creek Resort and the Rolex gala dinner at the YCCS Clubhouse before the final festive farewell soiree."

The Boatyard - Auckland | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15
Auckland stopover. It has been a demanding leg, and the next one will be even rougher. Here’s a glimpse of the place where (boat) magic happens: the Boatyard.

Volvo Ocean Race: The Most Technologically Advanced Around the World Odyssey:
"... Once dubbed as Whitbread Round the World Race, the Volvo Ocean Race has really infused technological elements over its four decades of history, dating back to 1973. What initiated as an around the world adventure for predominantly amateur sailors on large cruising yachts, has materialized into a completely professionalized race entity, with cutting-edge racing machines made from the most advanced materials available in the world. Boat construction, pertaining to design and its materials, is light-years ahead of how it used to be constituted. Onboard, the boats now feature the most technologically advanced communications, be it for navigation and media equipment at the sailor’s disposal. Of course, these added expenditures were not always present in the nascent phase of this event. It’s during the past decade, by and large, that the tech movement has taken form, including insofar as putting cameras on the boats..."

03 March 2015

Terry Hutchinson and Stephanie Roble were honored at the New York Yacht Club on February 26, 2015 for their outstanding sailing achievements in 2014. (Published on Feb 26, 2015)

It's back to you, Iker | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015: "MAPFRE’s stand-in skipper Xabi Fernández (ESP), was savouring a memorable Leg 4 triumph in the Volvo Ocean Race on Sunday, but his stint in charge will come to a halt for the next stage through the Southern Ocean. The 38-year-old Basque took over from his long-term sailing partner and best friend, Iker Martínez, for the last two legs while the latter concentrated on his 2016 Rio Olympics preparations. Xabi, for so long the right-hand man of his illustrious partner, has clearly not been daunted by the challenge, guiding the Spanish crew to fourth in Leg 3 and then following up with a paper-thin victory on Saturday night on the 5,264-nautical mile (nm) stage from Sanya to Auckland. He told a press conference on Sunday morning that, despite his success, normal service on board MAPFRE would be resumed when the fleet sets sail for Itajaí on March 15 for the toughest of all nine stages, Leg 5 through the Southern Ocean. “Iker is coming back,” Xabi told reporters. “He’s flying out on the 6th (March). He’s going to be with us on the next leg, which was always the plan...." (read more at the link above)Volvo Ocean Race schedule: Next Leg Start from Auckland - March 15th; In-Port Racing March 14thLeaderboard: Race Overall -- 1Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing 82Dongfeng Race Team 83Team Brunel 144Team Alvimedica 165MAPFRE 166Team SCA 247Team Vestas Wind 28

All points provisional until ratified. Each team gets the same points as their finishing position, eg first place gets 1 point. All legs count and lowest score overall wins. In-Port Race results are only used in the event of a tie in the overall Race.

02 March 2015

Barcelona World Race, March 1st: Day 61 - Daily video highlights abovehttp://www.barcelonaworldrace.org/en/ #BWR2015Barcelona World Race news--60 Days. Atlantic Open.: "... each of the top three are dealing with their own different options. are working strong W and SW'lies. But with the dominant high pressure to their west and moving east off the South American coast they are riding the top corner of a Roaring 40s' low. The combination is pressing them ever further east. Later this Sunday evening their breeze will drop away until they gybe tomorrow into the stronger downwind flow. While the Swiss-French duo had lost over 100 miles to the chasing pair, Neutrogena and GAES Centros Auditivos who were both fast coming into Cape Horn, the net gain today is back to Cheminées Poujoulat, returning their advantage above 1000 miles again today..."

Peter Montgomery on the Whitbread Round the World Race 1989-90
Whitbread Round the World Race was the predecessor to the Volvo Ocean Race (video above published on Feb 27, 2015)

01 March 2015

Leg 4 finish highlights | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-15 - Feb 28, 2015: After 20 days at sea, Leg 4 came to an end in Auckland. “It has been really tough”, admits a very happy Xabi Fernández, the winning skipper of MAPFRE. The Spanish boat crossed the finish line first in what we could call a “Volvo Ocean 65 traffic jam!" Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing followed five minutes after them only, and Dongfeng Race Team 10 minutes later. All welcomed in the Kiwi night by an enthusiast audience.

Spanish eyes are smiling | Volvo Ocean Race 2014-2015: "Xabi Fernández’s beaming smile was as wide as the bay of Auckland. What a difference three legs make. MAPFRE finished rock bottom in Cape Town after Leg 1, but tonight, here in Auckland, they emerged victorious from one of the most closely fought stages this 41-year-old race has ever witnessed. No wonder their stand-in skipper Fernández looked so happy. And no wonder he and the rest of his crew looked so exhausted. “Super happy, super happy," beams Xabi. "It was a very tough leg, a very tough last few days especially. “We were struggling with Abu Dhabi and Dongfeng at the beginning, we were a bit slower, and in the Doldrums too. And this morning we saw them very close and managed to pass them. Since then we led the whole way!""

Dean Barker out as Team New Zealand skipper in the America's Cup--Dean Barker not ready to give up sailing but admits he and Team New Zealand boss Grant Dalton aren't 'mates' | Stuff.co.nz: "...Barker was sensationally axed as skipper of Team New Zealand yesterday with helming duties for the 2017 campaign in Bermuda to be battled out between Australian Glenn Ashby and rising Kiwi star Peter Burling. Barker has an offer to be the syndicate's sailing coach and performance manager but doesn't appear interested in that. Barker hit out at Team New Zealand management's handling of his dumping yesterday and the friction is clearly still there today..."